If you're a regular visitor to Awful Announcing, you may notice something different today.  A new face is on our Mount Rushmore, ESPN college football analyst Craig James.  Senator James was the surprise champion of our Joe Morgan Memorial Tournament, in which one current sports media personality would replace Joe Morgan on AA's Mount Rushmore.  

The Joe Morgan Memorial started with 32 of the most awful sports media personalities around - from Joe Buck and Joe Theismann to Skippy and Stephen A. to Cowherd and Berman.  Being honest, I have to give credit to my broski Ryan for coming up with the idea (he always was the smarter Yoder), but it was an awesome experience that was hopefully as much fun for you as it was for us.  Thanks to everyone who took part in the tournament, especially to the folks that took the time to leave comments, tweets, and especially vote.  We had over 50,000 votes in the semifinals and finals alone!  

Brian Powell started AA back in 2006 as an open forum for fans to voice their feelings on announcers and as the place to go for news, information, and opinion on announcing and the sports media.  That's why we gave you the decision for Joe Morgan's spot on Mount Rushmore (and who knows, maybe we'll do it for the other spots in the future).  When it all started, Craig James was nowhere near the list of favorites to be etched in Awful Announcing immortality.  However, your votes carried James to an overwhelming victory in the JMMT.  

James defeated his broadcast partner Mike Patrick in Round 1 and was never tested along the way, also beating out some of the biggest names in AA lore - Rick Reilly, Stephen A. Smith, Chris Berman, and Joe Buck.  His victories over Berman and Buck were astoundingly ginormous.  77% of the vote against Berman and 85% of the vote against Buck (over 21,000 votes in the Final were cast for Craig James).

So how did we get to this point where average college football announcer/pundit Craig James became an unstoppable force that made Joe Buck look like Marv Albert and took him to the top of AA...

It's a Yanks/Sawx kind of weekend as Friday-Sunday see the AL East rivals go head to head on three networks, MLBN, Fox, and ESPN.  Buck & McCarver and Sunday Night Baseball take a visit to Fenway.  And in case that's too much Yanks/Sawx, you can also catch either team on Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday on national TV.  In fact, the only day free of those northeast tyrants is Tuesday, when St. Louis visits Milwaukee on MLBN.  Don't worry though, Yanks/Chi Sawx is an alternate.  

Monday August 1

Cleveland Indians @ Boston Red Sox (ESPN 7PM) Sean McDonough, Aaron Boone, Rick Sutcliffe

Tuesday August 2

St. Louis Cardinals @ Milwaukee Brewers (MLBN 8PM) Local Broadcast [Alt: NY Yankees @ Chi White Sox]

Wednesday August 3

New York Yankees @ Chicago White Sox (ESPN 8PM) Dave O'Brien, Nomar Garciaparra

Thursday August 4

Texas Rangers @ Detroit Tigers (MLBN 1PM) Local Broadcast
Cleveland Indians @ Boston Red Sox (MLBN 7PM) Local Broadcast [Alt: Chi Cubs @ Pittsburgh]
New York Yankees @ Chicago White Sox (WGNA 8PM) Ken Harrelson, Steve Stone

Friday Augsust 5

Cincinnati Reds @ Chicago Cubs (WGNA 2PM) Len Kasper, Bob Brenley
New York Yankees @ Boston Red Sox (MLBN 7PM) Matt Vasgersian, John Smoltz [Alt: Oakland @ Tampa Bay]

Saturday August 6

New York Yankees @ Boston Red Sox (FOX 4PM) Joe Buck, Tim McCarver
Philadelphia Phillies @ San Francisco Giants (FOX 4PM) Kenny Albert, Eric Karros
Chicago White Sox @ Minnesota Twins (WGNA 7PM) Ken Harrelson, Steve Stone
Atlanta Braves @ New York Mets (MLBN 7PM) Local Broadcast [Alt: San Diego @ Pittsburgh]

Sunday August 7

Atlanta Braves @ New York Mets (TBS 1PM) Brian Anderson, John Smoltz, David Wells
Chicago White Sox @ Minnesota Twins (WGNA 2PM) Ken Harrelson, Steve Stone
New York Yankees @ Boston Red Sox (ESPN 8PM) Dan Shulman, Orel Hershiser, Bobby Valentine

H/T Sammy!  

Our pal Tim Burke of SportsGrid has done it again, putting together a highlight collection of various puzzling analysis, befuddling statements, and general lunacy from MLB on Fox analyst and AA Mount Rushmore inhabitant Tim McCarver.  McCarver was reunited with play by play man Joe Buck for Saturday's broadcast of Cubs/Cardinals.  I'll let you read the details from Tim's excellent article here, but just know that Joe and Tim blew up our Twitter feed on Saturday (as usual) and one of their more laughable moments was a discussion of the "great job" Mike Quade has done managing the Cubs this year.  The same Cubs that are 43-65 and have the second worst record in the NL.  Ladies and gentlemen, this is your #1 baseball broadcasting team in America.  Sit back and enjoy what has become of MLB on Fox...



My only request to Tim is that he do a Dick Stockton tribute next week... 

[SportsGrid]
 

 

NBC announced that starting January 2012, Versus will be rebranded as the NBC Sports Network. That's just enough time for you to forget this announcement and then remember when you sober up and crawl back to work after the new year.

There really isn't anything specific to report as there any particular details surrounding programming changes. However, at a high level there will be some style changes in production and more collaboration and promotion between NBC and the network formally known as Versus.

"As part of the overhaul, NBC says the cable channel's broadcasting style and presentation will parallel that of NBC Sports' by emphasizing storytelling and profiles of athletes."

"There will be greater coordination in sports coverage between NBC's broadcast-TV operations and the cable channel, officials say."

Although the news became official today and won't go into effect for 5 months, this move was assumed for quite some time. The acquisition was announced in December of 2009 and finally approved in January 2011. During that span it was widely reported and speculated that the Versus brand would wind down and some type of NBC sports branded name would replace it. Versus has become a more recognizable and distributed network, but it pales in comparison to the NBC brand name.

A handful of years back, Disney went the other way yielding the ABC Sports brand to ESPN so now sports programming on ABC is presented as "ESPN on ABC". Versus doesn't have nearly the cache as ESPN and this move is basically for the same motives but just in the opposite direction.

As a business guy, it's kind of funny to me how long these things take to finalize and announce. Even earlier in the year there were rumblings that they had circled in on this name but were still finalzing details. "NBC Sports Network" is three words and yet it's part of a lengthy process that is still ongoing. Brand identity and integration is important, but I think this was the end result the folks at Comcast/Versus were going to get no matter how many meetings, focus groups, powerpoints, and consultants were involved in the process. 

The real meat of this decision will lie in all the details that are to be determined. Graphics, logos, personnel, cross promotion, programming, and production will be things we'll keep a close eye on.

With NBC/Comcast having fended off competitors from the Olympics and NHL packages, but also having failed to procure a partnership with the Pac 12, they've essentially treaded water and held their position in 2011. Going forward, NBC and NBC Sports Network will benefit from having two channels of inventory to bid on programming rights in the future but unfortunately the rest of 2011 and 2012 are quiet years in terms of expiring sports programming rights.

NBC Sports Network is believed by many to be the favorite to get the new 8 game NFL package. Such a move would really boost the network's distribution (around 70 million now) upwards to ESPN's number of around 100 million households as well as help drive carriage fees higher. 

I think the previously linked philly.com article is interesting as it doesn't beat around the bush about Comcast's motivations, as the second headline reads, "Comcast is rebranding the homegrown channel and changing its format. Subscriber fees could rise." 

The article goes on to say:

"The goal of the Versus name change - and other changes expected to be announced in the coming months - is to make the sports channel more popular with fans so that Comcast can charge higher per-subscriber fees for it."

In a nutshell, Comcast changes its name, as expected by everyone, in a plan to make more money. Truly breaking news here. 

Looking to continue the success of ESPN's acclaimed "30 For 30" series, the WWL has released a Fall schedule of seven additional documentaries from ESPN Films.  If you're anything like me, there were some "30 For 30" docs that you knew right away were must-see tv (Pony Express, The U), while some were just suspect (Marion Jones, Fernando Nation, etc).  The same looks to be true with the announcement of ESPN's latest set of original documentaries.  Hey, if there's anything I'm alright with making a premature judgement on, it's movies and documentaries.  Let's take a totally subjective look at the new "30 For 30" documentaries and gauge the watchability of each based on what we know so far...

(1) Catching Hell - Sep. 27



-The story of Steve Bartman and his fateful night in 2003 finally takes the small screen after many had suspected it would be part of the original 30 For 30.  Full disclosure, I am a Cubs fan, so I was very much looking forward to examining Bartman's role in the famous Cubs collapse and how Cubs fans have treated him in the years since.  It seemed like the doc would be a healing experience for Cubs fans, examining their own shortcomings and exploring the unique connection between fan and team.

That is, until I read that director Alex Gibney was going to use part of the documentary to examine his own anger against Bill Buckner as a Red Sox fan.  GAG!  Typical ESPN to have a tie-in to one of their darling teams, the Red Sox.  I will be extremely disappointed if the Sawx take over this Cubs documentary.  If the Buckner aspect is minimized and well done, it could certainly add to the Bartman story, but knowing ESPN, I won't hold my breath.

Watchability Scale: Reluctantly, with one eye open

(2) Renee - Oct. 4
-This documentary examines the story of Renee Richards, a transgender tennis player in the 1970's. Personally, this story just doesn't appeal to me.  I'm certain ESPN will handle the matter gracefully and with care, but I'm just not that interested.  There's way too much controversial subject matter for me to even attempt a lame joke at this stage, so let's just move on, shall we?

Watchability Scale: Be my guest

(3) The Dotted Line - Oct. 11
-Director Morgan Spurlock of "Super Size Me" fame takes a look at two professional sports agents (Peter Greenberg and Eugene Lee).  Now, if I'd ever heard of the two agents being profiled, maybe I'd be more interested.  The only hook for me would be the intrepid Spurlock, or if he actually catches the agents breaking NCAA rules on camera.

Watchability Scale: (shrugs shoulders)

Perhaps this can become a weekly feature at AA if enough sports networks would be willing to cooperate in comical graphics screw ups.  It's good for a few weekend laughs.  Earlier this week, we shared this graphic on Twitter thanks to a tip from Jeff Lowe.  When Cubs outfielder Kosuke Fukudome was being traded to the Cleveland Indians, Sports Time Ohio (local broadcaster of Indians games) got him slightly confused with Browns QB Jake Delhomme.  Thus creating the mythical, light hitting, interception throwing Kosuke Delhomme.  Then again, maybe a name change would be good for both...


Then if that wasn't enough, earlier today on SportsCenter, the leader ran a story on Ravens QB Joe Flacco wanting respect.  At least that's what it says in the sidebar.  Flacco is a good QB, so it seems like a decent profile idea, right?  Underrated QB searching for respect in the league and in the media.  Well, SportsCenter might want to spell someone's name correctly the next time they talk about that person's lack of respect.  Really though, it's not like Flacco is too hard to spell.  It's not Nnamdi Asomugha or anything and I think he may have either solved the debt crisis or found the Klopman Diamond according to media reports.  Via @Fettknowsbest and Jamison Hensley...


And in case you were wondering, John Clayton's Twitter page still looks like this...


That was your week in comical graphics screw ups.  Next time, be careful out there!

Yesterday, Jackson Strong - who has a top 10 best name ever btw, right up there with Max Power - made history by being the first to succesfully land a MotoX frontflip at the X-Games. 

Unfortunately, the announcer calling the action somehow mistook it for a some kind of historic record breaking BACKflip. That is, the kind of flip any MotoX rider worth his salt wouldn't be caught dead performing without the word "double" in front of it. The kind that was first nailed way back in 1993, 6 years before Tony Hawk put the X-Games on the map by sticking the 900. That is to say, the kind of flip that involves rotating the opposite direction, and is at this point completely pedestrian. Imagine if, when The Birdman finally nailed his white whale of skateboarding, the announcer had enthusiastically proclaimed, "TONY HAWK HAS JUST PERFORMED THE FIRST EVER 540!!" Kinda takes the wind out of your sails no?

Lucky for him nobody was watching. 

Updating our earlier story that Hard Knocks was unlikely to happen, today our inbox was greeted with the sad confirmation of the news.

"HBO Sports^® and NFL FILMS announced today that the five-episode Hard Knocks reality series will not be presented this summer.  The uncertainty of the NFL’s summer schedule and the incredibly expedited timetable this month made it impractical for a team to commit. The series is scheduled to return for 2012 training camp.

However, a special 90-minute edition of Hard Knocks, celebrating the past ten years of the seven-time Emmy®-Award-winning series will premiere Wednesday, Aug. 31 at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT, exclusively on HBO."

What a bummer. Our reaction below.




no comments

I don't have a lot of details on the following clip besides the fact that it stars Norwegian cycling announcers Christian Paasche and Johan Kaggestad, it was featured in Jimmy Traina's Hot Clicks today, and it is one of the funniest clips I've seen this week.   This fella Paasche truly is the Gus Johnson of cycling because his excitement and enthusiasm seems genuine.  Seriously, who could pretend to be this juiced for cycling?  (Get it, juiced, cycling, ahhh...)  Of course, the only foreign language experience I have is sleeping through a semester of French as a college student, so who am i to say for sure.  I do think there's an audible "high five" request though...



[Friday AM Hot Clicks]
 

Since moving to Los Angeles to co-host the 1.a.m ET SportsCenter, Neil Everett has slowly grown on me. After watching him consistently for the past two years, I recently became convinced that he should join John Anderson, Steve Levy and Rece Davis on my list of SportsCenter anchors that don’t make me want to blow my brains out.  Who’s on your SCATDMMWTBMBO list?

Unlike Chris Berman, Stuart Scott, Steve Berthiaume and Scott Van Pelt, Everett is a nice balance of personality and professionalism.  He rarely goes over the top with his catch phrases and typically keeps his composure.  He’s at his best when he’s doing highlights; I like his delivery, energy, improvisation and timing. The guy just always seems comfortable, regardless of what sport he’s doing highlights for. Not every anchor is capable of being at ease in every situation. You ever hear Linda Cohn do a soccer highlight? She’s like a camel trying to swim across the Atlantic.

For the most part, Everett does a good job, but every anchor has their issues.  To me, Everett’s biggest problem is that he sometimes gets too carried away with his writing. His scripts are a tad too wordy and his lead-ins are a smidge too cute. I also can’t stand those lame skits that he often takes part in, but something tells me those are his producer's ideas instead of his.

Anyway, last night, as Baseball Tonight was wrapping up, Everett popped on the tube with a tease for the upcoming SportsCenter.  I almost choked on my midnight snack after I saw Everett turn in a performance that the late  ‘Macho Man’ Randy Savage would be proud of...

I understand that his adrenaline was probably pumping before the show and that he was trying to peak the interest of the audience, but there was no reason for Everett to scream and gyrate the way he did at the tail end of that tease.  Hopefully, someone in the control room got in his ear and told him how ridiculous his epileptic episode actually was.  The “X-GAMES ARE TAKING OVER!”  What the hell does that even mean?

Don’t let anything like this happen again Neil.  If you keep pulling the sort of garbage that I saw from you last night, you’ll be eliminated from my SCATDMMWTBMBO list.  There is no place on my list for an anchor that behaves like some roided out wrestler. Why do you think Berman never made the cut?